The Winchester Model 12, with a Cutts Compensator was the gun for Skeet Shooting for over two decades. They continued to be used on the Remington Model 1100's when they first started to displace the Model 12 as the Skeet gun of choice.
The "Cutts" was not a fad or fashion statement kind of item. It was put on so many Model 12 Skeet guns for a very good reason. It Worked!
It had three advantages over basic pump guns of the era. It added weight to the end of the barrel, aiding a smooth swing and assisting follow through. It did in fact mitigate a good deal of recoil, both because of its weight and because of the vents that directed gases both up and down, (at the cost of a few ear drums). It also, because of its bulbous nature, allowed the end of the barrel to stand out more clearly in one's peripheral vision. Making it easier for the brain to position it for the shot while one's main focus was (and always should be), on the target.
As the Automatics gained favor in Skeet, one of its advantages, lower recoil, became moot. As the change to a mounted gun and sustained lead technique became prevalent, its other advantages became less important as well. The automatics also were a little more front heavy than the Model 12's.
Then came the move to over/unders and eventually, tubed Skeet sets, pushing the Model 12's with Cutts into the history books.
The conventional wisdom, as stated above, about true Factory Cutts guns having no choke markings, may or may not be true. Winchester sent many Model 12s, to Lyman to have the Cutts attached. Some sources claim that all of the Model 12 Cutts were attached by Lyman. If so, I'm not sure what a Factory Cutts is. Its a little like the "factory" ribs that were really done by Simmons.
